#10: Qwest Communications

Qwest's stock traded as high as $64 in 2000 before plummeting in 2002 to less than $1 because of a multiyear accounting fraud. The SEC and DOJ probe was prompted by a whistleblower letter. CEO Joseph Nacchio forfeited $44 million for insider trading and went to jail. A class action settlement added $400 million to the pot but investors got back pennies on the dollar.